


A Pirate's Life For Me

by BladeoftheNebula



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Alternate Universe - Pirate, Angst with a Happy Ending, Cabin Boy Steve, Identity Porn, M/M, Pining, Pirate Tony Stark, Pirates, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-15
Updated: 2020-06-15
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:46:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24734863
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BladeoftheNebula/pseuds/BladeoftheNebula
Summary: When Steve joined theAvengeras the Cabin Boy, he knew being a pirate would be tough. He just never expected his duties would include warming the Captain's bed.
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Comments: 62
Kudos: 315
Collections: POTS (18+) Smol Steve Appreciation Bingo





	A Pirate's Life For Me

**Author's Note:**

> Warning: Steve thinks there will be dub-con, and has feelings about it, but it never eventuates
> 
> Thanks very much to my beta Blue_Jack for improving this ficlet a ton, and doing it with a looming deadline! Amazing!!! Thanks hon ❤️ 
> 
> This is for the T2: Historical AU square for the Smol Steve Appreciation Bingo over on the Steve/Tony POTS server over on discord [(come join us! It's super fun ❤️)](https://discord.gg/z5WSqbS)
> 
> EDIT: Now with amazing art from [@Thirstinart!!](https://thirstinart.tumblr.com/)

“Hey, Cabin Boy! You missed a spot.”

Steve huffed angrily, even as he got up, grabbing the scrubber and bucket of water. “Where?”

The man pointed. “There. And there. And there, hell at this rate you may as well wash the whole deck again.” He laughed, his companion joining in even as Steve scowled. 

A pirate’s life was not all he’d thought it would be.

He’d thought he’d be an actual pirate for one, not the crew’s dogsbody. But apparently, someone his size wasn’t valued for fighting the King’s armada or setting the sails. It didn’t matter that he was a grown man of nearly twenty-five; He was relegated to the jobs usually done by a boy of twelve. He was the cook’s helper, the deck scrubber, and the guy that cleaned the latrines. Seriously, why did people say this was a life of adventure?

But he needed to be here. So whatever they threw at him, he’d take it. 

Anything to stay.

He scrubbed the spots they indicated angrily, standing up when he was finished with a defiant look. “I’m done.”

The crewman snorted. “Took you long enough. Now you best go get yourself ready.”

Steve frowned. “Ready?”

“For the Captain? You know he rejoins the ship today when we drop anchor, right?”

Steve scowled. “I am well aware, Mr Pierce. It’s all anyone’s been talking about since I got here.”

He’d joined the crew back in Port Royal, which had been hell to get to, and he’d been surprised to find the ship run by the Quartermaster, Mr Rhodes, while the real Captain was on land conducting business. 

“Well, don’t you know the Cabin Boy’s position is _under the Captain_?” Pierce seemed to think himself funny, though Steve didn’t much agree. 

“I don’t follow.”

The other man, Mr Hammer, laughed mockingly. “For someone who says they aren’t green, you sure act like it.” He made an obscene gesture. “The cabin boy keeps the Captain happy at sea. If you aren’t up to scratch, he’ll likely drop you off next time we come to dock, if he doesn’t just throw you over the side to feed the sharks.”

The bottom fell out of Steve’s stomach. “That cannot be true.”

Pierce raised an eyebrow at him. “Why do you think the position was open, Roger? Apparently the last boy wasn’t to his liking.” He smirked. “I hope you’re better on your knees for him than when you’re scrubbing.”

No, that was a lie. It had to be. 

He looked at the two men, searching for any hint of dishonesty, but he couldn’t see anything. He didn’t trust them, but they seemed too thrilled to be lying.

But he couldn’t— Not with the Captain.

How would he ever explain…?

He couldn’t be kicked off the ship, however, either. This was his only shot, and he’d worked so hard to be here. 

If this was the price he had to pay, so be it.

* * *

He wasn’t on deck when the Captain arrived.

He’d been dragged into kitchen duty and had spent most of the afternoon peeling vegetables, but he’d heard the cheers and the whistles that signalled they were leaving the bay, so he knew he’d arrived. 

After dinner, he cleaned himself up, then marched his way to the Captain’s quarters like a condemned man. 

Mr Rhodes was at the helm and gave him a smile. “Evening, Roger.”

“Sir,” he greeted. “I’m here to serve the Captain.” He barely rasped it out, but Rhodes didn’t seem to notice. 

“Of course. Go on through; the Captain is in his chambers,” he said, then he turned back to the wheel, a cheery whistle carrying across the deck.

Steve looked at the door, anxiety twisting in his stomach. He didn’t know much about the man who captained the _Avenger_. Only that he was tough, nay, ruthless with those he fought and renowned for his brilliant mind and having a ship that could outrun any fleet. When Steve had thought about him at all, he’d imagined a weather-worn, leather-skinned old sea dog. A Captain who struck fear into the hearts of other men. His stomach rolled as he imagined being intimate with such a man, and Steve fought back the urge to be sick. 

He would do this, and one day it would all be worth it. It had to be.

He grasped the handle and turned it, letting himself inside. 

The cabin was cosier than Steve had expected, covered in warm fabrics and with the pleasant smell of spices. The bed sat ominously in the corner, draped in fabric and cushions. He thought that if he were not so nervous, he would find he envied it after so long sleeping in cheap taverns and the ship’s own hammocks. 

The cabin was in an L shape, a small section tucked away unseen. There was a scratching noise coming from it, and Steve cleared his throat nervously. “Sir?”

A hand appeared from the corner, pointing towards the bed. “Just over there.”

Oh. So he was to ready himself. He could do that. He could. He swallowed, trying to push back the nausea as he stripped, folding his clothes carefully and lying on the bed. He hoped he looked appealing, but he doubted it. His body was tense, and he had to fight the urge to curl up. He settled for looking away, focusing on the fine-grain wood of the walls. He doubted such a man cared for his face, given he demanded such things of his crew. 

He lay there silent for some indeterminate amount of time before the scratching stopped. There was the drag of a chair against the wood behind him, and Steve flinched, breath catching and his eyes snapping closed. He had to do this. There was no other option. He could take it, lie back, and think of the future he wanted. He could do this.

“Honestly how long does it take to— Argh!” 

Steve lay there frozen for a moment before a large piece of fabric landed on him with a cool rush of air. “What in the devil are you doing, man?”

Steve opened his eyes, confused. He blinked at the pretty red material covering his face. What had he done wrong?

When he spoke, his voice was high pitched, the nerves making his voice almost unrecognisable to his own ears. “Readying myself for you, Sir. My body is at your disposal.”

“Good god. Why on earth would you do that?”

“Did you not tell me to lie here, sir?”

“I thought you were here to take my dishes! Not whore yourself to me, my god. Cover yourself up.”

Steve was pretty sure his face was aflame. How was he in this room, having this happen, instead of the earth opening up to swallow him whole? He scrambled with the fabric, pulling it around himself and curling up beneath it. “I’m sorry, Captain. I was—I didn’t—”

“Why would you think…” The man trailed off, sounding baffled, and when Steve pulled back the covering from his face, he found the Captain was facing away from him, seemingly to offer him privacy. 

“The men told me this was part of my role, sir. That the cabin boy entertained the Captain.”

The man buried his face in his hands. “They have played a joke on you, my boy. And a nasty one at that. There is no such practice on this ship, or in fact any ship that I am aware of.”

“Then I must offer my apologies. I am mortified.” He must be bright red.He could feel the heat all the way down his chest. “This is my first time at sea, and I am still naive.”

There was a curse, and the Captain cleared his throat. “Well, no harm done. You can dress yourself and take your leave.”

Steve stood up, tugging the material tighter around him as he moved towards his clothes. He shimmied into his breeches, trying to be quick about it. He wanted to be anywhere but here, and he was dreading the reaction he’d get from Pierce and Hammer when he returned to the sleeping quarters. “I hope this won’t impact me staying on the ship, sir. I—I really need this.”

The captain shook his head. “Of course, no this won’t cause any—Steve?”

Steve’s head shot up because only one man in the world said his name like that. “Tony?” he said in a near whisper.

There he was. 

His hair was longer than when Steve had last seen him, and he had a small scar on his cheek that hadn’t been there before. But that was _his_ Tony. 

A smile began to dawn on Tony’s face, expression lit with shock and happiness. So much happiness. “Hi, Sweetheart,” he said, his voice hoarse and so beloved.

Steve felt his eyes prick with tears. “I can’t believe you’re here.”

Then Tony’s arms were wrapped around him, and Steve buried his face in the other man’s neck. Tony squeezed him tight, pressing kisses into his hair in a frantic rush, and Steve breathed him in, trying not to cry. He pawed at Tony desperately, trying to get closer, and he could hear a shushing noise in his ear trying to calm him. “Shh, shh, it’s alright, Darling, it’s alright.”

“I’ve been looking everywhere for you,” Steve tried to tell him, but he wasn’t sure Tony could hear it was so muffled. He felt himself being moved, and then he was seated on the bed, Tony crouching in front of him. A familiar hand brushed through his hair, and he leaned into it. It had been so long since he’d had this. 

Tony pulled back to look at him, eyes flitting over his face like he was trying to commit him to memory. “I could never have imagined you would find your way to me.”

Steve huffed. “Well, you should’ve. If you thought I would remain at home, then you’re not as smart as I remember.”

Tony snorted, bringing Steve’s wrist up to his lips and kissing the pulse point. Steve turned his hand in his grip so his fingers could brush the scar. “What happened here?”

Tony grinned, looking rather rakish. “Swordfight. Our first engagement after I left Obadiah’s ship. Caught me by surprise and hurt like the devil.”

“Why did you leave his ship? He told your father you were as good as dead.” He felt a little spike of grief even though Tony was right in front of him. “He was convincing. Your father believed him, no matter what I said. The only person who agreed with me was Jarvis. He helped get me to a port.”

“Obadiah Stane is a traitor! He sells our weapons to the other side and makes a profit while undermining our armada. And he has significant pull with the navy, so there was no one I could feel safe telling. I had to leave, try and take him down outside the law. So I jumped ship during a battle, just me and Rhodey. We got a ship, and the rest is history.”

“I knew you were out here somewhere,” Steve breathed. “I knew you would not be so easily beaten.”

Tony smiled. “You always had more faith in me than anyone else.” 

They were quiet for a moment, drinking each other in, and then Tony’s face twisted. 

“Wait, you didn’t know I was the captain, but you came here to lie with him?”

Steve sucked in a breath, feeling nauseous all over again. “Yes. Not by choice.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Do you know how long I’ve been searching for you? I’ve spent months in taverns, and I’ve tried to get on every ship that left port to come find you. Two of your men told me that if I didn’t, I would be removed from the ship, and I couldn’t.” He swallowed hard. “I have had too many setbacks to risk it.” He looked at Tony imploringly. “I had to find you.”

“You shouldn’t have,” Tony growled, and he sounded angry. “You shouldn’t have tried to...shame yourself.”

Steve felt a flush of anger and he pointed a finger in Tony’s face. “Why is it that if you give your body to a cause, it’s sacrifice, but if I do, it’s shame? What’s the difference?” 

The anger was all-encompassing now, months of fear and grief, and guilt every time he failed to leave port all mixing together in his chest. 

“And why is it that I had to make all the sacrifices? I was fighting for us, even though everyone was telling me it was a fool’s errand. I slept in some of the most awful places I have ever been; I’ve been nearly mugged twice and was beaten half to death by a drunk. I have been through hell, and you were alive and well the whole time, and not once did you come to find me!” He felt as though tears should be falling, but it was as if the well of emotion had dried them all up, leaving him feeling hollow. He wished he was wearing more than his breeches. He hated feeling so exposed in more ways than one. 

Tony’s face had lost all its outrage, leaving just soft melancholy. “But I did. I swear it. Everyone on this crew knows I was looking for my love. They found it funny that when they went ashore carousing, I’d spend the nights in my cabin just wishing you were here. I sent letter after letter home, and when Jarvis finally wrote me back to tell me you had gone, I asked after you everywhere we stopped. Why do you think I was onshore? I was employing a man to search for you.” 

He cupped Steve’s face in his hands. 

“Do you really think me so faithless? I promise, I have dreamed only of you since I left for sea.” He leaned over to the side table by the bed, picking up a small, flat hinged box. He opened it, showing it to Steve. “I keep your likeness by my bed, and I fall asleep to your face. You are never off my mind.”

Dammit. He had always been so easy for Tony’s words, and this time was no different. He kissed him, pouring all his longing into it, and Tony shuddered and pushed forward, lying him back against the bed and covering him with his warm weight. He’d missed this. So much. The feeling of being someone’s, of being Tony’s, was overwhelming, and he whimpered into it. 

Tony kissed his forehead, nuzzling him gently, and it sent shivers down his spine. 

“As much as I’d love to spend the evening rogering the cabin boy, as you so obviously intended,” Tony whispered, and Steve snorted helplessly, unable to stop the smile spreading over his face, “I think this has been a shock for us both. I’d rather like to spend the night just holding you in my arms, if that’s alright?”

“That’s more than alright,” he said softly, touching Tony’s cheek.

Tony brushed a thumb over Steve’s nipple making him tremble. “Though I can’t deny I’ve missed these. Hello there.”

“Tony!” Steve blushed, though it was hard to do anything more than whine.

Tony hummed thoughtfully. “I’m surprised no one on the crew knew who you were. I’ve talked about you enough.”

“I was told to not use my real name if I was to become a pirate. I’ve been going by Grant Roger.”

Tony looked relieved. “No wonder. I couldn’t work out why Rhodey would not have informed me immediately otherwise.”

Steve’s stomach chose that moment to grumble loudly, and he chuckled sheepishly. “Sorry.”

Tony huffed. “Have you eaten?”

“No,” Steve admitted. “I was too nervous.”

Tony's face darkened for a moment but then cleared. “Of course. I’ll have someone bring us some refreshment.” He disentangled them, going to the door and calling out to one of the boatswain, before closing it and returning to Steve’s side. He looked oddly casual. “Who were the men who suggested you come here by the way?”

“Hmmm? Oh, Mr Pierce and Mr Hammer. They’ve had it in for me since I arrived.”

“Oh, good, good.”

“Good?”

“Well, yes. Now I know who I am to have keel-hauled in the morning.”

“Tony!”

“Too much? Perhaps, you coming here did work out rather well for me. I’ll just maroon them instead.”

Steve jabbed him in the side. “No! They’re both cads; I won’t disagree. But that is too brutal.”

Tony kissed him again. “Fine. I will leave them at the next port. In the meantime, they’ll be scrubbing the deck until I can see my damn reflection in it.”

Steve couldn’t help but grin. Good. 

Tony’s face went soft, and he pulled Steve against him, keeping him safe and warm. “I have missed you. And you are truly the bravest man I have ever known.”

Steve flushed, his face growing hot. “It was nothing. Not if it got me to you.” Then he laughed. “Besides, it seems I have moved up in the world if I am to be the consort of a Pirate Captain! How glamorous.”

“I will deck you in jewels and gold fitting your position,” Tony promised. “And tomorrow, you will learn how to fight. Mr Rhodes is an excellent teacher, and he will show you what you need to know.” He kissed Steve again. “I will give you everything you need to be safe, even if this life isn’t.”

“It’s worth it,” Steve told him. “I was never going to be left behind. I think you knew that.”

“I did,” Tony agreed, looking fond. “Stubborn as the day is long.” His eyes widened for a moment, and he jumped up. “Oh! I have something for you.”

He dug around in his desk for a moment before he gave a cry of victory. He walked back over, dropping to his knees, and held out a gold ring. “I bought this with my first wages when I joined up. I’ve kept it with me, because I regretted that we didn’t marry before I left. I’ve always known it would be you.”

The ring was beautiful. Simple and gold but studded with tiny gems. “Oh, Tony.”

“Will you marry me? I mean, I’m actually the Captain, so I can marry us tomorrow! Or, perhaps it doesn't work that way. Ah-ha! I’ll put Rhodey in charge, and he’ll marry us.” He looked nervous for a moment. “Only if you still want to.”

Steve glared at him. “If I still want to? I travelled the world over to find you, you ridiculous man! Yes, I want to. Give me my ring.”

Tony barked out a laugh. “Just as romantic as I expected.” He slid the ring onto his finger, pressing a kiss to it as he did. “I am the luckiest man on the seven seas.”

“We both are,” Steve said, leaning down to kiss him. “My pirate husband. Who would’ve thought?”

* * *

[Absolutely beautiful art by @Thirstinart!](https://thirstinart.tumblr.com/post/622343582044569600/commission-for-bladeofthenebula27-inspired-by-her) Be sure to check out the rest of her work!

(Hammer and Pierce are in so much trouble 😈)

**Author's Note:**

> I can't do real angst XD I'm sorry! Hope you enjoyed this Pirate Fluff ❤️
> 
> Come say hi! Follow me on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/BladeoftheNebu1)/[Tumblr](https://bladeofthenebula27.tumblr.com/)


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